Magic Mourns

No matter what job a man has, he always ends up hating parts of it. Now, I loved my job, the sword, the wings, the chopping off the evildoers’ heads and all, but I bloody hated flying down to Savannah. Every time I swung this way, I hit wet wind off the ocean flying through Low Country. It ate its way through me all the way to the bone. Enough to give a man the liking for one of those dumb-looking paratrooper jump-suits. It took me a bit of time to finally find the right house in the predawn light, a small place with white siding and green roof, nothing special except for the damn industrial-strength ward on it. I circled it once and felt the magic defenses go down: Kate had seen me. Nothing to do but land, which I did, right on the path before the porch. Kate sat on the porch with a book on her lap. She was on the pretty side, tan, dark-eyed, dark-haired. Exotic, even. Didn’t look like she was from around here, but then who did nowadays? Her sword lay next to her, a pale sliver. I paid attention to her eyes and the sword. She was a bit quick on the trigger with it. “I always knew there was something odd about you, Teddy Jo,” she said, nodding at my wings. “Likewise.” I felt the magic coil about her. Too much power there. Way too much. She hid it well, though. “How did it go?” I shrugged. “Killed the snake responsible. Everybody’s alive. Your friends are in one piece. I expect they’ll celebrate in bed once they sleep it off.” She arched an eyebrow. “They were together? Like together-together?” “Looked that way to me.” A grin bent her lips. Why now, she had a pretty smile. Who knew? “I’ve got something for you here,” I said, and showed her a sack of apples. She closed the book and set it aside. The title read, Lion, King of Cats: Exploring the Pride. I handed her the sack. “Couldn’t find anybody else immune to Persephone’s immortality?” She chuckled. “You guys don’t exactly grow on trees. I tried burning them, but fire does nothing to the damn things.” “That’s because they are meant to be eaten or sacrificed.” She picked up her sword, cut a small chunk, and popped it into her mouth. “Tart. Think they’ll keep for a week? I’ve got company coming next Friday, and I’d like to make them into a pie.” “Can the company handle Persephone’s Apples?” “He can.” I made of note of that he. Didn’t know there was anybody else in the area immune to Persephone’s Gift. If I had to put money on it, I’d bet it was the Beast Lord. Magic was a funny thing. The older it was, the stronger it was. True, Hades’ fire-power was of an ancient variety, but the magic Kate threw around was so much older, it gave me a start the first time I felt it. Now, I’d seen the Beast Lord once. He’d passed by me and I about choked. The magic that rolled off him was even older than Kate’s flavor. Primeval—not your regular shapeshifter. Enough to give a man a complex. “I don’t see why they wouldn’t keep,” I said aloud. “Damn things are near indestructible.” She lifted the sack. “Thanks!” “Thank you.” I pushed from the grass and shot into the sky. The sun was rising. Its rays warmed my wings and I headed back toward Atlanta. I had had a hard night. It was time to get home, drink me some coffee, and feed my dogs. Cerberus made sweet puppies, but the damn things sure ate a lot.